Are you going to hire new talent for your startup?

According to CB Insights, 23% of startups fail to hire talent who really deliver!

When the entire tech world focuses on skills, startups need people with energy, creativity, and the ability to solve problems more efficiently, not just those with expertise.

But, as a startup owner, how would you know how to understand a candidate who is truly entrepreneurial minded? You can leverage the interview phase to crack that down.

In this blog, I will discuss some questions I have used with multiple startups to identify genuine startup talent. Questions that helped us recruit talents who were open to feedback and brought about fundamental changes in organizational growth.

So, without wasting time, let's begin—

20 Startup Interview Questions You Must Not Miss Out

We all know how things rarely go exactly as planned in startups. One day, everything might run smoothly. The other day, it did not! And this is the real challenge for a startup to handle things smartly and survive the competition.

You will have new challenges every day. But what really matters is how your team reacts to these. Are they able to figure out something on their own or get stuck? Ask these questions to know the best out of a person before you hire the wrong candidate.

i) About Failure and Improvisation

Startups are different from other tech businesses. They need people who can learn quickly, make informed decisions, and persevere even after facing setbacks. So, to understand a candidate's ability to succeed and their improvisations.

Some questions can help you out on that. Questions that would let you know candidates who are comfortable with failure and creative problem-solving. Here are some of these you must not miss out on to ask your candidates:

1. Tell me about a time something you worked on completely went wrong. What did you do next to overcome this?

2. What is one project that failed, and what did you learn from it?

3. How do you decide what to do when there is no clear solution?

4. Share a situation where you had to fix a problem in a limited time frame.

5. Describe a time you had to make a quick decision without having all the information.

6. How do you handle unexpected changes in a project?

These questions will help you determine whether the candidate views failure as a teacher or a setback.

If your candidate is someone who learns from mistakes, they will be more likely to handle challenges with confidence. They will be able to take smart risks and keep projects moving forward without your interpretation.

They will easily bring resilience and problem-solving skills that are crucial in a startup environment.

ii) Questions revealing emotional intelligence

To work effectively as a startup team, everyone must possess emotional intelligence to handle situations professionally and effectively.

Apart from stronger skill sets, your team members should be emotionally stable and mature enough to handle the roller-coaster situations of a startup.

Emotional intelligence demonstrates a person's ability to understand themselves and others effectively. In a startup or any fast-paced environment, people often work closely together. They make quick decisions and face pressure.

You can know how an employee will handle feedback, deal with stress, and communicate during challenges by asking questions related to emotional intelligence.

A candidate who can stay calm, listen actively, and empathize with teammates will build stronger relationships and help maintain a healthy work culture.

1. Tell me about a time you disagreed with a coworker. How did you resolve it?

2. How do you react when someone gives you constructive feedback?

3. What do you do to support teammates who are struggling?

4. Describe a moment when you had to deliver tough feedback to someone.

5. How do you stay calm in a stressful situation?

6. What kind of work environment helps you do your best work?

iii) Questions testing self-motivation and team contribution

Have you ever worked with someone who needed constant direction?

It slows everything down, doesn't it? And in a startup, you don't have that luxury to go slow!

Startups need people who can spot what needs to be done and just do it. Sometimes, startups need employees who are self-motivated and take action on their own.

The right candidate will not wait for reminders or approvals to move forward. Instead, they will have the courage to handle things with care and follow deadlines without breaking them.

Here are some questions you should ask your candidates to test their ability to lead a team:

1. What do you do to stay motivated when working on something challenging?

2. Describe a situation where you took initiative without being prompted.

3. How do you set goals for yourself and track progress?

4. Describe your proudest contribution to a team project.

5. What kind of work makes you feel excited to start your day?

6. How do you keep yourself accountable when no one is watching?

7. Tell me about a moment you helped a teammate succeed.

8. What do you believe makes a great team player in a startup setting?

By asking these questions, you would know that a natural ownership taker doesn't wait for others' instructions. Instead, they find ways to solve problems independently. They add value, bring ideas, and keep moving naturally.

Build a Team That Can Grow with You

Now that you have the interview questions big tech won't ask in your hand, it's time to put them into action.

You can also leverage candidate hiring platforms like AirworkAI. It offers thousands of pre-vetted candidate profiles for recruiters. You can start over with your hiring process instantly.

You can also segment those contacts according to your needs, connect with candidates, and arrange interviews —all within one platform.

It's an all-in-one hiring tool that helps you build a team that can grow with you.